


Science Partners

by rude_ravenclaw



Category: Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Cute, F/M, Fluff, Smut, Spider-Man - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-07
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-11-28 19:07:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11424252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rude_ravenclaw/pseuds/rude_ravenclaw
Summary: You move to a new school and meet your new science partner, Peter Parker. Friendships are formed, memories are made, and sparks may fly...





	1. The New Girl

**Author's Note:**

> This is a series that I originally posted on my Tumblr: fanfiction-palace

It was a new year. A new year of hell. Peter always did fairly well in his classes, especially his science classes, but he still hated the idea of being invisible as he navigated the crowds of hormonal teenagers. He also hated listening to guys and girls complain about broken phones when he had to worry about broken bones as he kept the streets safe. 

He didn’t hate school quite as much, however, when he walked into chemistry and saw you. You were a new student and you sat perched on a stool, alone at a back table. Your hair shone in the sunlight that streaked through the classroom window. Peter would swear that your eyes glittered like (Y/E/C) jewels when your eyes met his. You flashed him a shy smile before looking away. It was only for a moment but Peter was undeniably head-over-heels. 

“Parker,” the teacher barked. Peter snapped his head to look at the teacher. He gripped the strap of his backpack nervously. “It is nice of you to finally join us. For the rest of the year, I think it would be kind to your new science partner that you arrive on time.” The teacher gestured to you with one liver-spotted hand. 

Peter’s heart leaped into his throat as he willed his feet to move towards you. He placed his bag down with a thud and nervously took the stool next to you. “I’m (Y/N),” you whispered, tapping his shoulder lightly. 

“I’m Peter!” he blurted out as the teacher was going over the syllabus. His face went as red as a tomato and a few students snickered. The teacher shot him a threatening glare before continuing. You smiled and giggled lightly, pink creeping up your cheeks. 

The entire hour, Peter kept stealing glances at you. Everything about you was perfect. The shape of your lips, the color of your eyes, the rise of your cheek bones, the curve of your nose. An oral pop quiz was given and Peter was impressed by your intelligence. You raised your hand for almost every question and every time you were right. 

Every now and then you would catch Peter staring. Your heartbeat was rapid the entire class period. His chocolaty brown gaze made your breath hitch and your stomach flutter. When he wasn’t looking, you would also steal glances. His jaw clenched in concentration. His messy hair fluttered in his eyes. His surprisingly defined arms and chest moved gracefully under his sweater. 

Towards the end of class, the teacher handed out a list of various labs you could choose from to get yourself acquainted with the lab. You looked over the purple paper and looked up at Peter who was staring directly at you. His chin was propped up on his hand and he had a dazed smile on his face. “So, um, Peter, what do you think?” you asked.

“I think you’re amazing,” he mumbled. His eyes grew wide as he realized what he said. You looked away, hoping to hide the intense blush on your cheeks. “I.. I mean no, well, yes, you are, but I, uh…” You could say that Peter was saved by the bell, for the high pitched school bell began to ring and Peter was out the door before anyone else. You stared at the empty stool and your shoulders drooped a little. This was going to be an interesting year. 

Peter made his way to the lunch room, trying to block out the embarrassing image of him making a fool of himself. He somberly waited in line for his lunch and then took his usual seat with his friend, Ned. “New year, dude. New year means new girls,” Ned said, nudging Peter’s shoulder. Peter just slowly shook his head, staring down at his grease soaked pizza. “What’s wrong with you?”

“I met the new girl,” Peter mumbled. 

“Dude, tell me about her! Is she that bad that so you’re like this now?”

Peter shook his head once more. “No, Ned. She’s astounding. She’s so intelligent and she made this really funny joke in class and her face… Ned, her face. She’s the most gorgeous girl I’ve ever seen. And she’s my science partner..” Peter went on and on with great enthusiasm about you. Ned encouraged it. 

You walked into the lunch room, gripping your bagged lunch and looking around nervously. You finally found who you were looking for and made a bee-line for the table. “And Ned, her shirt fit in all of the right…”

“Um, Peter?” you interrupted nervously, standing behind him as Ned eyed you humorously. You saw his shoulders tense and his ostentatious hand gestures freeze in mid-air. He slowly turned in his seat and looked up at you. “You forgot this in chemistry,” you held up the hand not holding your lunch to show Peter’s backpack. 

He gingerly took the bag from you, his fingertips brushing against your hand. You would laugh at yourself later but you could have sworn you felt sparks when his hand touched yours. “Thank you,” he mumbled, looking into your eyes. You could feel a heat creeping up your neck and you gripped your lunch nervously.

“Would you like to sit with us?” Ned piped up, breaking your attention away from Peter’s gold-flecked eyes. 

You flashed him a smile, and nodded. “Yes, thank you,” you stammered. 

“You wouldn’t mind, Pete, right?” Ned winked at him. 

“Not… Not at all,” Peter said, scooting over so you could sit next to him. You made yourself comfortable as you slid in next to your cute new lab partner. Your shoulders brushed together and Peter cleared his throat. 

“So, (Y/N), I’m Ned. Peter has told me a lot about you.” Peter angrily took a bite out of his pizza. You giggled shyly and began unpacking your lunch. “Peter here is very good at chemistry with other people, just so you know.” The boy in question let out a very angry sigh, his jaw clenching. You bit your lip and saw that Ned was playing wing-man. 

“Is he now?” you asked, sounding intrigued. “Maybe you could show me a thing or two… In the lab, of course.” Peter perked up but continued to stare down at his food. 

“So, (Y/N), have you ever studied anatomy?” Ned asked, waggling his eyebrows at you and nodding towards Peter. You suppressed a giggle as you felt Peter kick him under the table. 

You made sure to flutter your eyelashes a little as you looked sideways at the very embarrassed boy and said, “The human body happens to be a.. main interest of mine.”

Peter almost choked on his milk and you couldn’t help but let out a laugh. Ned roared with laughter and Peter was once again bright red. “He’ll get this flirting thing down eventually,” Ned said through fits of laughter, patting your hand reassuringly. “So, where ya from?”

Ned made pleasant conversation the rest of the lunch period and Peter gradually came out of his shell. You could tell that you would become fast friends with the two boys and your feelings for Peter had already begun to take root. Peter, at one point, even attempted a pick-up line. 

“What lab were you thinking of doing?” you asked Peter. 

“Well,” he began, puffing out his chest and looking at you through half-lidded eyes, “I was thinking we could mix copper and tellurium because you’re CuTe.”

“Impressive, Peter,” you said with a giggle. He looked very proud of himself for the “effectiveness” of his flirting. The lunch bell rang and all three of you stood up to leave. “Well, I’ll see you in gym, Peter. See you tomorrow, Ned!” you shouted over your shoulder. 

“Gym, huh? You guys can be gym partners! You can help her with her squats, spot that a… ouch, dude!” Peter punched Ned’s shoulder as he was talking. Peter watched you walk away, a soft smile on his face. You glanced once more over your shoulder and flashed a gorgeous smile at Peter. Peter was not going to hate school at all this year. 


	2. The Science Project

“As I said yesterday, this project is a large percentage of your semester grade so don’t wait until the last minute to do it,” the teacher said monotonously, strolling through the aisles of lab tables. 

“Shit,” Peter said under his breath, letting his pen clatter to the table. You triumphantly made a line through your row of X’s. This was the fourteenth game of tic-tac-toe that you had won. 

The teacher stalked past and you both quickly made it look like you were discussing your project. “Why, yes, Peter. Methane gases would react in that manner but I’m not sure…” you trailed off as soon as the teacher was out of ear shot and Peter began giggling uncontrollably. 

“Methane gases?” he snickered, training his dark eyes on you.

“Oh, shut up! You said ‘shit’ and it was the first science related thing I could think of!” You couldn’t help but to also start giggling. You smiled broadly at your best friend and didn’t know how you would have survived the first half of this school year without him. Peter and Ned were your best friends and were there for you from day one. From “wild” Friday nights on Ned’s living room floor with root beer and Mario Kart to Peter intimidating the only guy you had dated at your new school, the guys were always by your side. 

“Would you want to come over to my place tonight?” Peter said quickly, interrupting your thoughts. You stared wide-eyed at Peter. “To work on the project! He’s right, we should start working on it now.” It had just occurred to you that in the months you had been friends with Peter, you had never once been to his home. Between school, parks, and Ned’s house, you saw Peter plenty so it never bothered you that you hadn’t been invited over before. The idea of being at Peter’s home, most likely alone, awoke butterflies in your stomach. “If you don’t want to…”

“No,” you almost shouted, “I mean, yes, I do. Sorry, just lost in thought about, uh, the project.” Your face burned fiercely and you were positive he could see it. 

Peter’s face lit up and he quickly scribbled down his address in your notebook. “How about you come over around 5:30? It’ll give me time to, uh, do chores and things.” You carefully tore the paper out and placed it in your pocket. 

You looked up at Peter and smiled, “Yeah, 5:30 sounds good.”

Peter’s smile got even wider as he nodded and bounced a little in his seat. You shared his excitement but your nerves suppressed it a little. You had developed a strong crush on your best friend over the school year. Every time his rough hands brushed against you, your nerves tingled endlessly. Every time he said your name, you wished it was the only sound in the world. He always looked at you with a gentle gaze and his smile made your heart melt. 

Little did you know, however, Peter was just as nervous. The rest of the day, Peter went over and over in his head the various scenarios that could play out tonight. At lunch, he kept thinking about you having dinner with him at his dining table. In history, he thought of you spinning around in his desk chair, admiring his collection of posters on his wall. During gym, seeing you in your sweatpants, he thought of you wearing his sweatpants, sitting on his bed after.. “Heads up, Parker!” someone shouted. With lightening reflexes, Peter caught the dodge ball that was hurtling towards his head. He felt his face flush deep red as he realized what he was thinking about. Besides Ned, you were his best friend. He shook the thoughts from his mind. 

After school, Peter caught up with Ned in the hallway. “Hey, Ned,” Peter mumbled, chewing his lip nervously. 

“Hey, dude! You excited for tonight?” Ned teased, nudging his shoulder. 

“She’s just coming over to work on a project. Nothing more,” Peter said matter-of-factually. 

Ned let out a laugh as the two of them made their way to the apartments that Peter lived in. They ascended the stairs to Peter’s floor. Peter unlocked and shoved open the apartment door. His aunt May wasn’t home yet and hopefully wouldn’t be until later tonight. Ned strolled into Peter’s room and flopped down on his bed. “So, let’s say you’re both in here, tension is in the air, her eyes on yours, her lips begging…”

“Dude!” Peter shouted, tossing his backpack onto his desk chair. He changed out of his school clothes and threw on a more comfortable gray sweater. 

“Pete, if you won’t admit it to me, at least admit it to yourself! You’ve been crushing on (Y/N) since day one!”

Peter looked at his friend in defeat. Ned was right. You made him feel things he never imagined a person could feel. His head went fuzzy when he talked to you and he couldn’t help but smile uncontrollably. 

“Just pull out another one of your chemistry pick-up lines and she’ll melt,” Ned said, laughing as he did.

Peter shrugged and contemplated the idea. “Well…”

“No, please don’t.” Both of them broke down into fits of laughter. Peter’s nerves were beginning to calm down. It was still about an hour before you were going to come over. 

“Should… Should I ask her to come over early?” Peter said nervously.

“Probably. It’ll give you more time because who knows when May will be home.”

Peter nodded and texted you, asking if you wanted to come over now:

_P: Hey, want to come over now??_

_You: Sure. :)_

_You: What about your “chores and things”? lol_

_P: They can wait, haha_

_You: See you in a bit!!_

“She’s on her way,” Peter mumbled.

You carefully made your way up the steps to Peter’s apartment. You nervously touched your hair and straightened your shirt when you stopped in front of his door. Gently, you wrapped your knuckles against the door. Within seconds, Peter flung the door open. You glanced over him. He was in jeans and a loose gray sweatshirt. His collarbone was exposed on one side. “Hey,” he said, a side ways grin on his face. 

“Hey,” you replied, rocking back on your heels. You nervously fiddled with the straps of your back pack. 

“Oh, uh, come in, come in,” he stammered, stepping out of the door way and allowing you to pass. You smelled like lavender and honey. Peter softly closed the door and without really thinking about it, took your hand gently in his. “We can go into my… Oh, sorry.” He noticed what he had done and quickly dropped your hand.

You blushed and shyly looked down, “Don’t worry about it.” You carefully looked back up at him and said, “So, your room?”

Peter nodded, his cheeks dark red. He led you to his bedroom and shut the door behind you. “Make yourself comfortable,” he said, gesturing to his entire room. 

You placed your bag on the floor near his desk and sat on the edge of his bed. Peter couldn’t believe it. You were in his bed. Well, on the edge but close enough. You took your textbook out of your bag and looked up at Peter. He was standing with a dazed expression on his face, just watching you. You patted the bed and said, “I won’t bite… hard.” 

Peter blinked, surprised at your comment. You began to laugh and Peter joined in. He grabbed his notebook and sat on the bed, cross-legged. You turned to face him, also crossing your legs. Your knees barely brushed against Peter’s. “Let’s do this then,” Peter said, opening his notebook. You nodded and opened the textbook, holding it so Peter could see too. He had to lean forward towards you to get a better view. 

You could feel the warmth radiating off of him and you swallowed nervously. You began to go over your plans for the project. For about an hour, you spoke while Peter jotted down notes and his own ideas. For a little while, you got distracted and began to play Mortal Kombat. “Finish him!,” you shouted, decapitating Johnny Cage. Peter watched you laughing, reveling in the happiness you brought him. “We should probably get back to work, huh? … Peter?”

You turned to look at your friend who hadn’t responded. You were sitting shoulder to shoulder, backs up against his headboard. He was looking down at you, a soft smile on his face. His brown eyes explored your face and his bottom lip was caught in his teeth. It almost seemed like slow motion as Peter leaned into you, his eyes fluttering shut as his lips met yours. 

Your eyes swiftly fell shut also as you kissed him back. His lips were soft and you could taste his minty mouthwash. Slowly, you brought your hand up to rest on his jaw, pulling him a little deeper into the kiss. The knots in your stomach burst with euphoria and your whole body began to feel warm and fuzzy. The kiss felt like an eternity and that was alright with you. 

Peter pulled away gently, cradling your cheek in his hand. He opened his eyes and gazed at you, breathless. “I’ve wanted to do that for so long…” he said, his voice low. All you could do was nod in agreement, studying his face. You gently rubbed your thumb along his strong jawline as you shifted your gaze between his lips and eyes. “We can get back to work, if you…”

“Kiss me again,” you interrupted, moving your hand down to his strong chest. 

“Okay,” he quickly said, cradling the back of your neck and pulling you into him. He smashed his lips against yours. You slid onto his lap, straddling his legs. You placed both hands on his chest, feeling the muscles tighten as you nipped at his bottom lip. Carefully, Peter slowly began to move his hands down your sides to your waist, your hips, down and back to your…

“Peter! I’m home!” a female voice shouted from the living room. You quickly scurried off of Peter and impulsively picked up your textbook. Your face was beet red. Peter grabbed one of his pillows and tried to hold it over his lap as inconspicuously as possible. Just then, the bedroom door creaked open. “Peter, are you… oh?” Peter’s Aunt May poked her head around the door and raised an eyebrow at the two of you. 

“Hi, Aunt May. This is my friend, (Y/N),” Peter mumbled, not meeting her eyes. 

His aunt clucked her tongue and gave a teasing smirk in Peter’s direction. “Oh, yeah, you’ve talked about her. It’s a pleasure to meet you, dear. I’m May. Are you staying for dinner?”

“It’s nice to meet you, ma’am. If I may, I would love to,” you replied hesitantly, putting on a graceful smile. 

“Of course. I’ll leave you two alone,” she said, closing the door with a click. Peter let out a deep sigh and flopped back onto his bed. “Don’t forget to do your chores, Peter” May shouted from the other side of the door.

You couldn’t help but start to laugh. You looked over at Peter who had gently placed his hand on your thigh. He was smiling, staring up into your face. You smiled back, your heart feeling airy and light. He moved his hand to your hand and laced his fingers in between yours. “Maybe next time we’ll have some more time alone,” Peter said in a hushed voice, watching you rub circles on his hand with your thumb. 

You hummed in agreement, watching Peter watch you. You leaned down and caught his lips in yours once more. It was sweet and gentle. “So, when is Ned going to hear about this?” you inquired, pulling away and raising an eyebrow.

Peter chuckled before saying, “I bet he has already sensed it.”


	3. The Dance

“What do you mean you don’t know where he is?” you nagged impatiently at Ned. 

Your friend just shrugged, looking at you with concern. “I don’t keep a tracker on him, (Y/N). Is he not responding to your texts?”

You solemnly shook your head and chewed your lip. On Friday, Peter seemed to disappear. He texted you that night:  _I just met Tony Stark. He’s taking me with him. Big things, dude. Text me the chem hw please?_

You tried texting him and calling him to get some answers but you hadn’t heard from him. It was now Tuesday and you were unbelievably worried. Ned acted nonchalantly about it, saying that it was probably something to do with college opportunities. The circumstances seemed too strange, though. Peter just being whisked away by THE Tony Stark on a Friday night? When you asked his Aunt May, she just talked about the kind gentleman who was offering Peter a “science thingy.” 

You picked at your lunch, your appetite nonexistent. Something just felt off about it all. 

“Girl,” Ned said, interrupting you thoughts, “your boyfriend will come back soon…”

Your face went bright red. Your hands became clammy. “Peter is not my boyfriend, Ned. We’ve been over this.”  

“Oh, right, because you two totally didn’t make out every chance you got for like a solid two weeks,” Ned laughed.

The heat on your face was growing more and more intense. “That doesn’t mean anything. It… It was a mistake,” you said angrily. Ned looked shocked and returned his attention to his food. Perhaps it was Peter being MIA all weekend but this felt like the last straw. You couldn’t stand worrying about him all the time. 

It was true, the two of you had had some rather “heated” moments for awhile but it just kind of… stopped. Maybe it was because the science project was over so you two didn’t have an excuse anymore. Maybe it was just fun while it lasted. You had to admit though, something had happened to you. The feelings you had for Peter had definitely grown and it tore you apart that it was never talked about. You and Peter continued being best friends but things were different. 

His gaze lingered a little longer. His fingers would brush yours every moment he could. Your heart raced every time he said your name. You thought about him all of the time. You could never tell him that though. 

“So, uh, you guys aren’t going to the dance on Friday together then?” Ned timidly asked. 

The thought had of course occurred to you but it wasn’t happening. You had already agreed to go with another guy in your Chem class, Chris. You hoped that it would push your feelings for Peter away. “No,” you said stiffly, “I’m going with Chris.”

Just then, your phone buzzed and you swallowed nervously. The only people who texted you were Ned, Peter, and your mom. Ned was in front of you and your mom had meetings all day. You lifted your phone to see one new message from Peter:  _So, about that chem hw?_

You never knew you could go through so many intense emotions in such a short amount of time. Your heart soared at seeing Peter’s name but it sank as you read the message and then you were filled with anger as you still didn’t have any answers. You angrily shoved your phone in your bag without responding. “I’ll see you later,” you grumbled, cleaning up your lunch and leaving. You felt bad being so cold to Ned but you were feeling… a lot. 

The rest of the day was kind of a gray blur. You couldn’t pay attention in class. The walk home was dull and cold. You didn’t even bother to touch your homework before going to bed. You didn’t know what was happening. All night, your phone lit up with texts from Peter:

_Are you okay?_

_Did I do something?_

_I want to see you._

_Ned just told me you’re going to the dance with Chris…_

You just couldn’t respond to him. If he wanted to talk to you, he could wait until he saw you in school. 

The next day, you shuffled to your locker and ran into something sturdy. “Oh, sorry,” you mumbled, glancing up at whoever you ran into. 

“(Y/N),” the person shouted, wrapping their arms around you. He smelt like fresh laundry and Old Spice. His chest was strong and comforting and his embrace was warm. Your stomach became tight though as you registered who it was. 

You pushed away from him and looked up into Peter’s face. Before you could say anything, however, you gasped and clutched his face as you saw his black eye. “What the hell happened to you?” you said with great worry.

He softly smiled and put his hands over yours, pulling them away from his face. “It’s nothing. Just got into a little scrap,” he replied softly, as if it was nothing. “I’m so glad to see…”

At that moment, you angrily hit Peter in the arm. “Where have you been?! I’ve been worried sick!”

Peter stared at you, his mouth agape. “I… (Y/N), I…”

“You know, never mind. I don’t care.”

You began to walk away but Peter grabbed your arm and spun you towards him. He looked at you seriously, his eyebrows pinched together and his gorgeous eyes dark, “What is up with you? You’ve been brushing me off for weeks now. Ever since we stopped…” He didn’t continue. He didn’t have to. You knew what he meant. 

“It’s nothing,” you grumbled. You weren’t going to admit to him in the middle of the hall way that you were in madly in love with him. No matter how much he softly smiled or how much you felt his warm hands or the electricity that ran through your veins at the thought of him. You wouldn’t. You couldn’t. You were sure he didn’t feel the same way. “We’re going to be late to class.”

Class was miserable, as well as the next few days leading up to Friday. You and Peter acted friendly around Ned and your other friends but didn’t speak to each other alone. Peter would try to but you just couldn’t. You weren’t going to be forced into admitting your feelings. You spent your free time with Chris. Picking out a dress color and making plans for after the dance. 

Ned informed you, on Friday, that him and Peter were going stag to the dance. You acted surprised that neither of them got dates but deep down, you were glad that you wouldn’t have to see Peter with his arms around another girl. 

“Save a dance for me, won’t you?” Ned said teasingly, offering you a dramatic bow. 

You rolled your eyes but giggled at your friend. “Of course,” you replied, giving a grand curtsy. 

That night, you slipped into your champagne colored dress. It was a halter top that fit your body tightly and had a slit up the side. You would have heads turning in that dress. Chris showed up in his noisy truck at 7:30 and the only thing he had to say was “Woah.” The car ride to the school was silent and you could only think about the lovely things Peter would say.

At the dance, things were worse. Chris disappeared within the first fifteen minutes and no good songs were playing. A few of your girl friends complimented your dress and asked you to come out and dance with them. You had nothing better to do so you agreed. You popped, you locked, you tried to drop. You made a complete fool of yourself but the electric atmosphere took away every care in the world. You didn’t even notice when Peter walked through the door.

He was in a black tux with a blue tie. His hair was smooth and styled to the side, compliments of Aunt May. His dark eyes scanned the dance floor until they locked on you. His heart seized up and his stomach did flips. You were stunning. It was killing him to not be out there with you. Your skin glistened in the club-like lighting and your smile made the dim gymnasium even brighter. Your thigh peeked out from the slit of your dress every time you moved your hips to the music. A small heat began burning in the pit of Peter’s stomach. 

The majority of the night, Peter stuck to the side lines. Every now and then, him and Ned would join a dance circle and cut a little rug but he mostly kept to himself. That is, until he noticed you slip out of the gym doors into the school’s court yard. He weaved his way through the mass of sweaty teenagers to the courtyard. Through the glass doors, he could see you standing alone under the moonlight. With a deep breath, he pushed the doors open and stepped out into the crisp night air.

You turned around as you heard the doors open, expecting to see one of the teachers telling you to come back inside. It was Peter. He looked amazing. His suit fit him perfectly. His broad shoulders were accentuated and his jacket hugged him perfectly around his abdomen. “Hi,” you said, your voice hoarse from the dancing and singing. 

“Hey,” he replied, taking small steps towards you. His hands were in his pockets as he stopped to stand next to you. “Where’s Chris?”

You shrugged your shoulders, tearing your gaze from Peter’s strong jaw and soft lips. “Dunno. Haven’t seen him all night.” You hugged yourself a little tighter, shivering slightly.

“Why are you standing out here in the cold?” Peter asked this as he was unbuttoning his suit jacket.

“Just needed a little fresh air… oh, thank you,” you said shyly as Peter draped his jacket over your shoulders. His body was so warm next to yours and the scent of him was comforting. You softly closed your eyes and took a deep sigh, involuntarily leaning into Peter’s side. You snapped out of it as he wrapped one arm around your waist, pulling you closer to him. “S.. Sorry.” You gently stepped away from him.

“(Y/N),” he said sternly, turning towards you, “talk to me, please. I don’t know what I did but I want to fix it. I want my best friend back. I want you back.” Even though it was dark out, you could see the blush on Peter’s face and the hurt in his eyes.

You felt tears creeping up on you and you couldn’t hold it in any longer. “I want to know what happened too!” you began in a huff, “Things were going very good but eventually stupid excuses were made to stop seeing each other alone after school. You wouldn’t even go to the library with me! I was really beginning to think you felt the same way, Peter, but I guess I was wrong! You would call me by cute nicknames and hold my hand and walk me home but then it just stopped and you acted like nothing happened! Well something did happen, Peter!” A few tears had fallen down your cheeks and Peter stood stone-still as you spoke.

After a silence that felt like forever, Peter finally said in a hushed voice, “I was scared that my feelings for you were too obvious. I was afraid of going too fast and scaring you off. I was afraid of losing you, of losing us.” He swallowed heavily but looked you straight in the eye. It took you a moment to register what he said but slowly, that electric feeling began to surge through you once more. Your hands shook a little and your lips twitched with the whisper of a smile. 

Peter began to crack a gentle smile as he noticed your face soften. “I mean every word,” he said, taking a step towards you. There were now mere inches between the two of you. You both felt as if you had never been this close before. Peter caressed your cheek in one large, rough hand and stared into your star-filled eyes. His chest swelled with happiness as you smiled broadly at him.

“I do too. I… I think I…” Before you could finish, Peter hesitantly leaned down and pressed his lips against yours, as if he was kissing you for the first time. His eyes fluttered shut as yours did. You slipped your arms up around his neck and pulled him deeper into the kiss. He held on firmly to your hips and nipped at your bottom lip. You pulled away and giggled, “Steady, tiger. Not in the courtyard.” Your cheeks were hot and you could see that Peter was blushing a deep crimson. It was a stark contrast against his white shirt collar. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, pressing his forehead against yours. “For everything.”

“I am too,” you whispered back, pressing a gentle kiss against his warm cheek.

You could feel his warm, minty breath on your lips and his thumbs rubbed soft circles on your hips. Before Peter could lean in for another kiss, the gym door swung open. “There you two are!” Ned shouted. You both jumped, startled by the intrusion. Careless Whisper drifted through the open door. “I’m sorry to steal her from you, Pete, but she did promise me a dance.” Ned winked at the pair of you teasingly and you both couldn’t help but laugh. 

“He is right, I did promise,” you said through giggles. 

“Well, promise me that I get the next one,” Peter whispered in your ear.

“Only if you promise to walk me home.”

“I’ll even hold your hand.” With that, Peter kissed the sensitive skin right behind your ear before you walked towards Ned, his hand outstretched, dramatically of course.


	4. The Moment

The rest of the night was absolutely perfect. Ned was a surprisingly good dancer and led you deftly across the dance floor to Careless Whisper. Peter watched from the edge of the dance floor with a large grin on his face. He let out a belly laugh as Ned dipped you in front of him, you flashing a wink Peter’s way. After you danced with Ned, When a Man Loves a Woman began to play. You couldn’t think of a better song for such a lovely, cheesy moment. 

Peter walked up to you, his face flushed red and a nervous half-smile on his face. Nervous yourself, you slid your hands up Peter’s chest and rested them behind Peter’s neck, your arms resting on his shoulders. His hands rested on your waist and you could almost hear his heart hammering in his chest. Your heartbeat wasn’t any slower. The two of you swayed to the beat and his eyes never strayed from yours.

You were stunning. You were magnificent. You were gorgeous. You were Peter’s. He was so overwhelmed with happiness that he didn’t know what to think. He couldn’t look away from you. Your (Y/E/C) eyes danced in the multi-colored lights. Your whole being took his breath away. How did he think that denying his feelings for you would help anything? It almost ruined everything. He was just so relieved to have you back. 

You never wanted Percy Sledge to stop singing. You wanted to dance with Peter forever, with his eyes on yours and him holding you close. 

“Alright, kiddos!! Let’s speed the beat up with some Liam Paaaaaaayne!” the DJ shouted, playing Strip That Down. Students flooded the dance floor, grinding on each other and you were sure someone dabbed. You and Peter were pushed from the dance floor by the sea of bodies. The two of you watched Coach Wilson attempt to separate gyrating teens but eventually get up, causing you both to laugh. 

Peter slipped his hand into yours, holding your hand tight. You looked up at him and gave him a sweet smile. He smiled down at you and felt his head rush with joy. He felt as if you two were the only two people in the world and he loved it. That is, until Ned walked up besides you. He watched Ned lean down and whisper something in your ear, giving Peter a playful glance. What was he doing now? Peter noticed a smirk spread across your face as you nodded and looked back up at Peter through your eyelashes. He felt his face grow increasingly hot and his hands began to go clammy. 

Peter didn’t know that Ned had basically told you to “go get it, girl.” Glancing out into the mass of students dancing to the pop song, you figured you might as well join them. With a confidence you didn’t know you had, you grabbed Peter’s tie and led him out onto the dance floor, swaying your hips to the beat. 

Peter, his face beet red, glanced back at Ned with wide, excited eyes. Ned just gave him a thumbs up and laughed at his friend. 

You led Peter into the crowd and when the two of you were a good ways in, you backed yourself up into him, still swaying your hips. His hands instantly went to your waist and his grip was tight. You glanced around the dance floor and mimicked what the other girls were doing. Peter gradually got into it and the pair of you danced to the next three songs like this. Your heart raced and your stomach fluttered with forbidden urges but in that moment, you didn’t care. 

You, Peter, and Ned left the dance at around 11:30 and started walking into the night. You were between Ned and Peter but Peter held your hand tightly. The pressure was warm and comforting. Once again, his jacket was draped over your bare shoulders. 

“So, uh,” Peter began nervously, breaking the peaceful silence, “Ned is coming over, would you want to?”

You could see Ned’s shoulders bouncing with silent laughter and Peter’s grip on your hand became tighter. “I’d love to, I just don’t have anything to change into,” you replied, thankful he couldn’t see the intense shade of red your cheeks had turned. 

“You could wear something of mine.” Peter spoke quickly and his voice sounded high with nerves.

“Okay, cool.” You all walked the rest of the way to Peter’s apartment in silence. You carefully climbed the steps, your feet aching in your heels. When you got inside, your heels were the first thing to go. 

The first thing you noticed was that May wasn’t home. Your heart flipped and butterflies fluttered in your tummy. Ned was here, why were you acting like this? You all went into Peter’s room where Ned already had a change of clothes for himself. He went into Peter’s bathroom first to change, leaving you and Peter alone.

“Tonight was fun,” Peter said, swallowing hard. 

You nodded in agreement and asked, “So, about those clothes?”

“Oh, right.” Peter rummaged through his dresser and pulled out a pair of gray sweatpants and a Captain America t-shirt. 

“Oh, he’s my favorite!” you exclaimed when you saw the shirt. You didn’t notice but Peter grimaced at that. “Um, would you mind helping me with the zipper?” Peter stared at you, unblinking. Were you going to undress in front of him? “Peter? I can’t reach it.” Peter nodded and you turned your back to him. With shaking fingers, Peter pinched the zipper between his fingers and began pulling it down. He slowly revealed your skin to him and it took all of his willpower to not gingerly trace circles on your bare skin. He noticed that you weren’t wearing a bra and his breath hitched. 

Gently, he dragged his fingers down your arm and leaned into you, pressing his lips against your sensitive neck. You tilted your head to give him better access. Your eyes fluttered close and your hand that was holding up your dress almost slipped. His lips moved smoothly across your skin and you felt his teeth graze the nape of your neck. You thought you could feel something hard pressing into the small of your back…

“Alright, who’s next?” Ned exclaimed, stepping into Peter’s room. Peter quickly stumbled away from you and you bolted past Ned into the bathroom. Ned looked his friend up and down and cocked an eyebrow at him. Peter quickly began undressing, tossing his dress clothes into a pile of other clothes. “So, should I leave?” Ned smirked at the flustered Peter.

“No, dude, no. I just..”

“Pete, this is your night. It’s your guys’ moment. May won’t be home all night…”

Peter let out an exasperated sigh as he struggled to get his sweater on. “I can’t Ned. I.. I’ve never done this before!”

“I’m sure she hasn’t either! Look, dude, you both clearly want to. So just… go for it!”

“What are you guys talking about?” you said, leaning against Peter’s door way. Peter’s shoulders relaxed but his stomach did flips as he turned to look at you. His sweatpants fit you exactly as he imagined and you looked absolutely adorable in his t-shirt. If only there was a different superhero logo on it…

“I was just letting Peter know that I was heading out,” Ned said, making his way quickly to the door. “Ate too many of those mini muffins… (Y/N),” he stopped in front of you and bowed, “thank you for the wonderful dance.” 

You giggled at your friend and curtsied. “Of course, Ned. See you later, dude,” you replied with a smile. Ned nodded and left Peter’s apartment. You two were alone. Peter sat down on the edge of his bed and shyly looked up at you. “So,” he said, his voice cracking a little, “what do you want to do?”

You tugged your lip between your teeth and looked over at Peter through your eyelashes. Mustering up as much courage as you could, you said in a hushed tone, “You.”

Peter snapped his gaze up to meet yours. He couldn’t believe what you had just said. His hands gripped the edge of his bed until his knuckles turned white. You had slowly begun to walk towards him. You leaned down and pushed your lips against his. His eyes instantly fluttered close and he reached his hands up to your waist, pulling you down onto his lap. His grip involuntarily tightened as you began to grind your hips down into his. 

You bit at Peter’s lip, eliciting a moan from him. You slid your hands under his sweater and he pulled away just long enough for you to pull it off. You had seen Peter shirtless before but this was different. Your insides trembled as you ran your hands along the warm skin of his bare chest. 

Peter attacked your neck with his lips. He ran his hands up and down your back under your shirt. With vigor, he sucked and nipped purple marks into your flesh. Trying to bite it back, you let a moan escape your lips. His touch was so warm and it sent electric chills through your body. As if you were weightless, Peter flipped the pair of you so that he hovered over you. His hips were already between your legs and his dark eyes bore into yours. His stare gave you a thrill. 

He began to pull up the hem of your shirt but hesitated. “Do you want this?” he asked in almost a whisper. 

“Yes,” you replied almost instantly. Peter smiled down at you and you smiled back. A little awkwardly, Peter removed your shirt. He ran his hands, barely touching your skin, from your waist up your stomach and to your breasts. A warm feeling began to build in your stomach as Peter smashed his lips against your’s again. 

“Oh, almost forgot,” he mumbled, pulling away from you. An involuntary whimper left your lips as he pulled away and you went bright red. Peter smirked at you as he reached into the drawer of his night stand. He pulled out a small, square packet and set it on top of the night stand. Peter returned his attention to you, running his fingers through your hair. “You’re breathtaking,” he breathed. You smiled broadly and pulled him back down towards you.

It wasn’t the fireworks and magic that you had expected but losing yourself to Peter was definitely an experience you wouldn’t forget. He racked your body with pleasure, even through all of the giggle breaks that had to be taken. More than once your head was bumped against the wall but it was the little things like that that made the moment perfect. 

Afterwards, the two of you laid on Peter’s bed, the moonlight peeking through the window. Peter lay on his back, still shirtless, and you lay with your head on his chest, now back in Peter’s clothes. One strong arm was wrapped around you while the other rested behind his head. Your hand lay gingerly on Peter’s abdomen. The sound of his steady heart beat and the gentle rise and fall of his chest was putting you to sleep. You let out a yawn and your eyes fluttered shut.

Peter looked down at you and smiled softly. The moonlight shone silver against your features. You were like a goddess. Softly, he whispered, “I.. I love you, (Y/N).” The words tasted like honey on his lips. 

“I love you too, Peter,” you replied, your voice sleepy. Peter turned on his side and wrapped both arms around you, hugging you to his chest. You had already begun to snore softly. Peter kissed the top of your head and let his eyes also flutter close.


	5. The Break-Up

“So,” Ned began, scooting closer to Peter at the lunch table so he could whisper, “When you got like, buff and stuff from the spider bite, did uh… anything else change?” At this point, Ned was nodding down towards Peter’s lap. 

Peter nearly choked on his cold burrito. “Dude!” he shouted through a mouthful of beans and cheese.

Ned threw his hands up in defense. “I’m just curious!”

Peter shook his head and checked his phone. He was growing impatient as he waited for Mr. Stark to get back to him with details on their next mission. Ever since Berlin, Peter had been itching to see some more action than the petty crimes around Queens.

Interrupting Peter’s thoughts, you dropped your bag on the table and sat down in a huff. Your face was flushed from running down the hall. “Sorry I’m late, guys. Mr. Namara called a last minute Mathlete meeting.” Neither of them responded. Ned was looking at Peter strangely and you were sure his eyes kept trailing to his… Couldn’t be. Peter was engrossed in his phone. “Earth to Dorksville,” you chimed, waving your hand in front of Peter’s face. 

Peter shook his head as if coming out of a trance and looked up at you in surprise. “(Y/N)! When did you get here? Where have you been?” he said rapidly. You just shook your head and chuckled. Although you kept a pretty neutral facade, his response ticked you off. This had been happening for awhile now but after the two of you started dating, it seemed to get worse. He seemed to be constantly distracted. The pair of you hadn’t been together long (the dance was only two weeks ago), but it still annoyed you. 

“Are we still on for dinner tonight? I’m super excited to try that new…”

“Can’t. I’ve got some stuff to do for the Tony Stark Internship.” Peter went back to scrolling through his phone and vigorously texting. 

You pursed your lips, grabbed your bag and stood up. “Ned, still need help studying for the math test?”

Ned looked between you and Peter, cocking a worried eyebrow. You just shrugged your shoulders and rolled your eyes. He gave you an apologetic smile before saying, “Yeah, that’d be awesome. Come over after school?”

You nodded an affirmative and gave one last glance at Peter who was completely oblivious to the exchange you just had with Ned. Your shoulders drooped as you turned to walk away. “I’m gonna go eat lunch in the library,” you mumbled, “See you later.” With that you walked away, your head low and anger chewing at your belly.

Peter looked up nonchalantly from his phone and a frown creased his face. “Where’d she go?” he said, genuinely confused.

Ned shook his head and groaned at his distracted friend. “She went to go find a new boyfriend,” he said, hoping to make Peter realize what he’s been doing. 

He snapped his gaze to Ned, suddenly alert. “What?!”

“Good, now I have your attention. She went to the library to eat but if I were her, I’d be looking for a new boyfriend.” Ned took a bite of his pizza, staring at Peter sternly.

“What are you even talking about, dude?”

Ned let out a laugh at how clueless Peter was. “You know, Pete, you’re right. I’m sure she loves having all of her plans with you cancelled so you can go catch bike thieves and mope over Tony Stark.” 

“I catch more than just bike thieves and I don’t mope!” Peter lowered his voice to a whisper, “I’m the Spider-Man, Ned. I have a responsibility to the people.”

“Well, why don’t you tell her that?” Ned whispered back, irritation in his voice.

“I.. I can’t.” Peter swallowed hard, averting his gaze.

“Why not? She’s your best friend too. Not only that, she actually agreed to be your girlfriend. Do you think you’re ever going to get a girl like her again? She deserves to know and if you won’t tell her…”

“Ned! You cannot tell (Y/N)! You promised me you wouldn’t tell anyone and she counts in that promise.”

Ned grimaced at Peter, angry at him. “Fine,” he said flatly, “but don’t come crying to me when she leaves you.” Just then the bell rang. Ned got up quickly from the table, leaving Peter behind. 

Peter’s shoulders drooped and he slowly got up from the table. He checked his phone one last time before dropping it into his pocket. Ned had to be wrong. Ned was protective of their friend from the beginning. That’s all this is. Peter cancels a few dates and Ned overreacted. That’s all. You wouldn’t leave Peter… Right?

During gym, you ignored Peter like it was your job. He noticed this. It was fitness test day so that meant people broke off into their own groups to talk. You were with some of your other friends, leaving Ned and Peter by themselves. They watched you the entire class period. You definitely seemed to be venting to your friends because every now and then, one of them would shoot Peter a dirty look. 

Peter did everything in his power to look inconspicuous as he got closer to you, trying to listen in on the conversation. “So, are you going to break up with him?” your friend, Liz, asked. 

Peter put all of his attention on you, not caring if anyone noticed. You shrugged your shoulders and mumbled, “I don’t know..” Peter’s heart sank. “Probably not.” His stomach tightened and color came back to his cheeks. “If I had something like a Tony Stark Internship, I’d probably be the same way.”

Your friends nodded in a hushed agreement before Liz broke into a smirk, “But if that Spider-Man ever showed up, you’d definitely leave Peter, right?”

You giggled at this and Peter noticed an adorable blush rise to your cheeks. “Well, of course,” you giggled. The softness that was overtaking Peter was suddenly replaced by anger. “A guy with that much bravery and heart must know how to treat a girl right.” Peter didn’t even stop to consider the fact that you were talking about him. To him, you were talking about a different person. You were crushing on a different guy. 

Peter stormed back over to Ned, not wanting to hear anymore of the conversation. “She likes Spider-Man more than she likes me!” he whispered angrily.

Ned shrugged his shoulders and sympathized with you, saying, “Well, with the way you’ve been treating on of my best friends, I’m starting to like Spider-Man more too.” Peter dropped his shoulders and hung his head. He let out a heavy sigh before getting on the floor and angrily doing sit-ups. 

That night, you sat on Ned’s bedroom floor, monotonously drilling Ned with equations. You barely touched the Chinese food that Ned’s mom had ordered for the two of you. Frustrated, you threw your notes to the floor and put your head in your hands. Ned, who was sitting across from you, put a warm hand on your shoulder. “Did I do something wrong, Ned?” you mumbled into your hands. 

Ned looked bewildered at your question. “(Y/N), no!”

“Then what’s going on with him? Is… Is he just not interested anymore?”

Ned took your hands away from your face so he could look at you. Silent tears had began sliding down your cheeks. “(Y/N), before you two actually started dating, you were all he talked about. I’m sure that now that he has you, he couldn’t be happier.”

“Then why does he cancel plans? He barely pays attention in chemistry. Hell, he doesn’t even hang out with both of us. He should be here studying with us!” Your voice cracked with a sob. The tears began to flow harder. You knew Ned was the one you would break down to about this. 

Ned got up on his knees and enveloped you in a hug. He didn’t know what to say. He wanted to tell you the truth about Peter but he couldn’t. Why couldn’t he? Just because Peter told him not to? You had the right to know and he didn’t care how angry Peter got at him. 

As Ned opened his mouth to tell you the truth, there was a knock at the bedroom door. Ned released you and you hurriedly tried to wipe away your tears. Ned’s mom poked her head around the door and said with a wide smile, “Peter’s here, dear. (Y/N), honey, are you okay?”

You nodded and forced a smile. “Just a really spicy bit of the chicken.” Ned’s mom nodded understandably and left her position at the door. Peter walked in, a grin on his face. 

“Chinese food? Why didn’t one of you call me?” he said, as if he hadn’t noticed that your eyes were puffy from crying. 

“Did you really get into another lab accident?” you said, concerned laced in your voice. You stood up and grabbed Peter’s face, any thoughts of animosity gone. He had a cut above his eyebrow and a bruise was forming on his cheek bone. 

“Oh, it’s nothing. It’s Tony Stark. Shit happens, ya know?” He brushed your hands away and sat down next to Ned, leaving you standing. He leaned in and whispered to Ned something you couldn’t hear, “There was this huge metal bird guy..” Your fists clenched with anger. 

“No, I don’t know!” you shouted. Peter looked up at you, shocked and confused. “I don’t know how you let Mr. Stark do this! Can’t you ever just tell him no? He works you like an adult but you’re still in high school! You just let him use you whenever he deems it necessary, which is all of the time! Why don’t..”

“Why can’t you understand that this is important to me?” Peter shouted back, standing now. He towered over you and his eyes were dark. “I’m making something of myself and you can’t seem to support that anymore! I would have never asked you to be my girlfriend if I knew that you wanted all of the attention in the world!” Peter stopped in his tracks. His face went pale and his mouth stood open. His hands began to tremble as he realized what he said. “(Y/N),” his voice wavered, “I didn’t..”

You held up a hand to stop him and shook your head. All of your anger was gone. You just felt… empty. “You’re right, Peter,” you began flatly, “I should be more understanding. I see now just how important this internship is to you. It’s more important than your girlfriend. It’s more important than your two best friends. It’s more important than school.” Peter tried to cut in, reaching a hand out to you. You took a step back and continued. “I get it, Peter. I don’t want to get in the way.” You bent down and scooped up your notes and backpack. You looked Peter square in the eye. The pain you saw swimming in his eyes almost made you bite your tongue but it came out anyway, “I’m sure you and Mr. Stark will make a lovely couple.” You walked out of Ned’s room without giving Peter time to reply and slipped out the front door into the chilly, night air. 

You gave a harsh sob when the cold air hit your lungs and you let the tears fall freely. You started walking home, hugging your jacket tightly around you, tonight’s events eating at you.

Peter sank to the floor in defeat. His hands shook and he clenched his jaw. He lost you. He really lost you. All because he felt the need to keep his stupid secret. Why would he say those things to you? He didn’t mean it. You didn’t ask to hang out any more than you did before he started dating you. 

“Well, you did it. I’m sure the bike thieves will be happy to hear that you can devote all of your time to them,” Ned said with malice. He looked hard at his friend. 

“I’m gonna go home,” Peter mumbled.

“Good idea.”

The next morning, Peter lay in bed, staring blankly ahead of him. Maybe he’d pretend he was sick. He couldn’t see you today. He wouldn’t be able to bear seeing you in the pain he had caused. Peter was so engrossed with his self-pity that he didn’t hear the phone ring or notice his Aunt May walk into his room. “Peter?” she asked, her voice shaking.

Her voice piqued his attention. He sat up in bed and looked at her with concern. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Do you know where (Y/N) is? Her mom called and said she didn’t come home last night.”


	6. The Rescue

Your cheeks were tear stained and cold from the biting wind. You hugged yourself tightly as you turned down an ally towards the back way of the apartments you lived in. Your sneakers slapped the pavement and a scent of rotting fruit clung to the air. 

You tried to take a few deep breaths as you got closer to your apartments. You were trying to clear your head. The pain in Peter’s eyes kept flashing in your mind. The words he said, though, hit you so hard. Were you really that needy? Were you just really not understanding? Was it a good idea to break up with him? It had to be, right? It is better to just end it before anyone got seriously hurt. 

You were so absorbed in your thoughts and your gaze was concentrated on your shoes, that you didn’t even notice someone following you. The stranger was a man in a leather jacket with a furry collar. He came up behind you, silently. He wrapped his arms around you, covering your mouth with a damp cloth. You kicked out your legs in panic and bit down on the cloth. The man dropped your for a moment and you shouted, “Peter!” before a blunt force was applied to your head, knocking you unconscious. 

*** * ***

Peter’s heart began to race and he jumped from his bed. “She’s missing?!” he shouted, gripping his hair. His chest heaved with worry. This was his fault. It was all his fault. Why did he ignore you so much? Why was he so stupid?

May nodded her head, tears welling up in her eyes. May absolutely loved you and loved when you started dating her nephew. “Her mom thought maybe she spent the night here since she wasn’t at Ned’s.”

All Peter could do was shake his head. He couldn’t believe it. He needed to find you. He needed to make sure you were safe. As he frantically threw on any clothes he could find, he said, “I… I need to go.” 

He grabbed his bag and his phone, sprinting for the door. “Peter! You can stay home from school if you..” but Peter was out the door before she could finish. Peter sprinted down the stairs and out into the street. His heart hadn’t slowed down. It seemed to be beating faster. Peter slipped into the nearest alley and ducked down behind a dumpster. He pulled out his phone and called Ned. 

“Please tell me you guys made up and she spent the night at your place,” Ned said as soon as he picked up his phone. 

Peter felt his lip tremble and tears threaten to spill over. He swallowed hard and said with a shaky voice, “We need to find her. Have you tried calling her?”

“Yeah but it just keeps ringing.” Peter could hear Ned’s voice begin to waver. 

“I… I’m going to try to call her. I’m going to find her.” Ned simply replied with an ‘okay’ before Peter ended the call. He found your name in his contacts with the little picture of you in his swivel chair. The corner of his mouth perked up and he stared fondly at the photo for a moment. 

He clicked your name and held the phone up to his ear, trying to steady his breathing. After the second ring, someone picked up. “(Y/N),” Peter shouted, a tear falling, “Where are you? Are you okay? I’m so so sorry for everything! Please tell me where…”

“Hello to you too, Spidey,” a man’s voice said. 

Peter gripped his phone tightly, hearing the screen crack in his grip. “Who are you? What have you done to her?”

The man chuckled, a low, slimy chuckle. “I haven’t done anything to her… yet. Come find us at warehouse B in the abandoned shipping yard. Come alone or say goodbye to your little girlfriend.” The man hung up the phone. 

Peter’s chest swelled with anger. Swiftly, Peter began to strip behind the dumpster, adorning his Spider-Man suit. With a click of his web-shooters, Peter swung himself out of the alley and headed towards the shipping yard. 

“Suit, call Ned,” Peter breathed, swinging from the top of a bank to the next building. 

“Have you heard from her?” Ned asked.

“I heard from the guy who took her. I’m on my way there now.”

“Well, tell me where she is, I’ll call the police!”

“No, Ned. He said I had to come alone. He wants Spider-Man. I need to save her, Ned. I can’t lose her anymore than I already have.”

“You better save her. I’m not losing my best friend. Let me know if you need any help.” Ned ended the call. Peter sat perched on a lamppost outside of the shipping yard. He scanned the mass of warehouses for warehouse B. He found it quickly and sprinted across the other warehouse roofs towards it. 

Climbing down the side of the warehouse, he noticed that the side door stood ajar. Carefully, he opened the door just enough for him to slip through. He padded silently across the concrete floor. In the center of the warehouse, you sat bound to a chair beneath a lamp. There was a gag in your mouth and your head hung awkwardly to the side. Peter ripped his mask off and sprinted towards you. “(Y/N), please, please be okay,” he cried as he took you by the shoulders. He tried shaking you but your head just lolled side to side. “Please..” he said through tears, “I can’t lose you…” 

A hard force knocked into Peter, sending him flying into a metal support beam. He held his head as he jumped to his feet. He looked at his assailant, now standing under the lamp light. It was the metal bird man. “Nice of you to show up, Spider-Man,” the man said through his mask. “I was beginning to wonder if I had to take drastic measures with your little friend here.” 

Peter saw red. He was enraged. He bound the man’s feet to the floor with webbing and shot a string towards you, pulling you towards him. The man let out an angry bellow, using one of the metal wings to cut the string and stop your movement. You banged against the metal wing and toppled over in the chair, your head hitting the floor hard. The man tore his feet out of the webbing, using the metal claws attached to his feet. The edges of his wings were like blades and one was pressed to your exposed throat. 

“I’ll give you a choice, Peter,” the man said with a cruel smirk. “You stop interfering with my work and I won’t kill the ones you love. It’s as simple as that, kid.” 

Peter’s heart slammed in his chest and his jaw locked with anger. He had a responsibility to stop people like him but he couldn’t have anything happen to you. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes and he clenched his hands. With a hard swallow, Peter opened his mouth to respond, “Alright. Just… Just don’t hurt her, please.”

The man removed the blade from your throat. “Good answer, kid. I hated doing this but I have people to look out for. Hopefully, we won’t see each other again.” With that, the man flew out of the open warehouse garage door. 

Peter sprinted over to you, sliding on his knees. He ripped your bindings off of you as if it was nothing. Gently, he cradled you in his arms, stroking your hair. “Please, open you eyes, please wake up, please,” Peter whispered, tears falling down his cheeks and nose, splashing onto your blank face. “I love you, (Y/N), I love you. Please, wake up,” he sobbed. “I’m so sorry I did this to you. This is all my fault.” He pressed his forehead against yours, closing his eyes tight. He held you tight, rocking you back and forth. 

Peter felt a tentative hand on his shoulder. “Peter, let’s get her to the hospital,” Mr. Stark said. Peter held you, trembling. He didn’t want to move you. “Kid, come on.” Tony wrapped an arm around Peter’s shoulders and helped him to his feet. He scooped you up bridal style, resting your head against his chest. “I’m sorry I didn’t get here sooner…” Peter just nodded his head as Tony led him out of the warehouse. Peter’s heart felt like it stopped. 

You had been in the hospital for four days without once waking up. For the first two days, Peter never left your side, clutching your hand in his. May made him come home on the third night and go to school the next day. As soon as the bell rang, however, Peter was out the door and at your side. 

On the fourth day, Peter walked into your room to see your mom at your side and you still asleep. Your mom smiled at Peter kindly. “She has started mumbling in her sleep. The doctors say she should wake up soon.”

Peter’s heart felt light and a wide grin spread across his face. He walked over to your mom, who started rubbing her sore neck. He placed a hand on her shoulder and said, “I can stay here with her if you want to go rest. I’ll call if anything happens.” 

She placed her hand gingerly over his and looked up at him. “You’re such a sweet young man, Peter. I couldn’t ask for a better person to look after my little girl.” Your mom got up from the uncomfortable hospital chair, stretching her back. She gave Peter a tight hug before retrieving her purse, giving you a kiss on your forehead, and leaving the room. 

Peter took her place, slipping his left hand into your right. He pulled out his math homework and placed it next to you on the bed, working on it as he rubbed circles onto the back of your hand with his thumb. As he was finishing a problem, he heard you groan. He snapped his gaze up to your face. “(Y/N)…” he said in a hushed tone. 

“Peter…” you mumbled, nothing but your lips moving. You weren’t awake but you were talking. 

“I’m here, sweetheart, I’m here.” Peter placed his other hand over yours, squeezing tight. Your hands were like ice. 

“Peter… I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Peter.”

Peter’s heart felt like it was breaking. He shook his head and his cheeks grew hot. Warm tears began to slide down his face. “No… No, you have nothing to be sorry for. Please. I was the dick. I didn’t pay attention to you. You’re perfect, (Y/N). You’ve done nothing wrong, nothing. I love you.. I love you..” Peter placed warm kisses against your hand between sentences, his tears dripping onto your hand and arm. He looked up to your face, placing a hand on your icy cheek. “Ned was right. I should have told you. This could have been avoided if I told you and paid attention to you,” Peter whispered. 

You remained silent except for your soft breathing. Peter moved his hand from your cheek. He pressed your knuckles to his lips and mumbled against them, “I love you.”

“I love you too…”


End file.
